Whether you attend a festival on the
East Coast, the West Coast or
somewhere in between, there are
certain experiences common to all of
these events: The crowds, the food, the
13-year-old boys who look upon the
time away from Mom as an excuse to
quit showering. Oh, and the great
music. So while one festival’s
"Teaching Tent 1" may be another’s
"Alternative Stage," read on. Anyone
who has ever braved the elements
(and the Porta Potties!) in an attempt
to see all of their favorite artists in one
place will find this isn’t just our story,
it’s theirs, too. (For those who like to
skim, we’ve put artist names in bold for
you, but don’t blame us if you miss
something good by not reading all the
way through!)
DAY ONE
As our ugly red rental car
crested the hill at Laguna Seca
Recreation Center in Monterey, Calif.,
it was an awesome sight: The white
tents and junk-food vendors’ trailers
seemed to stretch for miles and
resembled a refugee camp, albeit one
that served cotton candy. Spirit West
Coast festival-goers were already crowding near the
main stage although the program hadn’t officially begun.
This was a good thing as we had interviews scheduled
and had yet to locate the mythical-sounding "Hospitality
Island" where our festival contact had suggested we
meet said interviewees.
Fortunately, 5 Minute Walk artist Justin McRoberts had
left us a message on our cell phone to be sure we’d
connect. As we were calling him back, he spotted us all
the way across the parking lot (note: none of our other
interviews would be this easy). We were still busy
catching up with McRoberts and his wife Amy as we
offered them shelter in our ugly-but-warm rental car
(really, it was ugly. The McRoberts even hesitated before
getting in) when we heard the already-familiar strains of
Plus One. We all scrambled out of the car and
managed to catch a few songs. It almost felt like being
an extra in an early Beatles’ video. Girls screamed in
response to every move the fivesome made. We have to
admit, their melodic pop songs are catchy. In fact, we
couldn’t get them out of our heads.
As it got darker, the crowds became thicker, with entire
youth groups crammed together so tightly they seemed
to form a human wall (we want to take this opportunity to
apologize to anyone we might have pushed in a
less-than-Christian way, but in our defense, bathroom
breaks are not optional). The masses of bodies were
not unexpected, but the wind and unseasonable cold that
came after sundown was. Most people just bundled up in
blankets, though, as Delirious took the stage. Delirious
is one of those bands whose charismatic stage
presence and contagious musical energy can’t be fully
captured on disc. Martin Smith and Co. definitely know
how to get the audience’s attention—whether it’s with
their U2-esque worship songs, funky stage clothes or
Smith’s feat of literally scaling a mountain of audience
members (much to security’s alarm, but more about
them later) while singing "History Maker."
Our late night show of choice was Plus One as we were
intrigued by the teen idol reception they received earlier
in the day. That was nothing compared to tonight. In this
more intimate setting, fans were able to get even closer
to the guys, tossing them glow-in-the-dark crosses to
wear while performing and holding up signs that
declared their devotion. Beach balls were also flying and
over at the merchandise table, the 8x10 glossies of Nate
sold out while the CDs, stickers, T-shirts and group
photos were also moving fast.
DAY TWO
Justin McRoberts played
the main stage at 10 a.m., but it didn’t
feel like an early morning performance.
With an amazing knack for connecting
with a crowd, he didn’t need anything
more than some entertaining stories
and an acoustic guitar. He also took
the opportunity to preview a few tunes
featured on his upcoming project,
Father, which will hit store shelves
Sept. 18.
On Thursday Plus One took the main
stage again, fighting at times to be
heard over their screaming fans. They
were having some trouble with their
tracks, but no one in the audience
seemed to notice. After their
performance, they headed over to the
Exhibit Tent to sign autographs and if
we thought nothing could cause such
craziness as Plus One on stage, we
were very wrong. It was a zoo with girls
pelting the boys with notes and phone
numbers and fans waiting in line nearly
an hour just to say "hello" and get a
quick signature. When one of us
caught up with the guys backstage
afterward, they seemed to be taking it in stride. They
were more concerned with getting their bags packed as
they were flying out in a few hours to Creation West
where the scene would no doubt be repeated.
Later in the day, with the sun burning overhead,
Salvador took the main stage and gave a standout
performance. Nick Gonzales and the rest of this
Austin-based band played an incredibly tight set and
moved seamlessly between album cuts and worship
classics. Most important, they really looked like they
were having fun. It was even worth the painful sunburn we
got as a result (that whole thing about wearing
sunscreen even on cloudy days, well, what do you know?
It’s true!).
After seeing Caedmon’s Call live, there’s no doubt that
this acoustic band with folk leanings has more than just a
college following. They graced us with a few new tunes
from their upcoming fall release which were a slight
diversion from the musical style reflected on 40 Acres.
Then band member Derek Webb announced he was
engaged, much to friend and former tour-mate Bebo
Norman’s dismay, uh, we mean delight. Norman and Jill
Philliips, another Caedmon’s tour vet, each played a few
songs during the set, too.
Jaci Velasquez, like most other acts on the main stage,
inexplicably began her set 15 minutes early. Due to this
unheard of scheduling strategy, we missed several acts
first few songs. Sigh. But from what we caught,
Velasquez entertained with a mix of familiar songs and
her voice never sounding better. She also gave listeners
a musical sneak peek at her September release,
Crystal Clear. For the curious, let’s just say musical
variety is the order of the day.
As darkness fell (and the temperature dropped horribly)
Newsboys took the stage. But what can be said about
a Newsboys performance that hasn’t already been said?
The crowd always loves the rotating drum kit. They
always love singing about breakfast not being served in
hell. And much to our dismay young and old fans alike
loved doing their best John Travolta impression during
"Love Liberty Disco" (c’mon, no one wants to see a
mother of four disco dance). Another night, another
energetic performance. Not that we were disappointed,
it’s just one of the downsides of festival-going. You see
so many shows, artists have to work even harder to
stand out.
Our late night pick this time was Jill Phillips and Bebo
Norman , along with some steaming hot chocolate that
did little to warm us up. The show did help us get Plus
One’s "Written on my Heart," out of our heads, though.
Of course, it was replaced by Phillip’s "Steel Bars," that
was fine with us. In a fine acoustic set with her husband
Andy Gullahorn, Phillips shared the stories behind her
songs and seemed like a perfect candidate for a taping
of VH1’s "Storytellers."
Bebo Norman on the other hand, was a little under the
weather which only made him more entertaining. His
stuffed up nose didn’t affect his performance, just the
conversation between songs. Not only did he refer to
Webb’s new fiancé as a "stud," he had to borrow an
audience member’s jacket to fight off the cold ("now I’m
pity boy!") and then made a plea from stage for some
Kleenex. Once he was warm and unstuffed, Norman
moved on to worrying about weightier issues… like
whether or not he would be able to remember the words
to the song he just agreed to play, the result of a fan’s
request. In his defense, he offered the following: "What
can you expect? I’m from Georgia and my name is
Bebo." It wouldn’t have been so funny if he hadn’t
missed an earlier scheduled appearance because he
was at the main stage "eating lunch and listening to
Plus One." We never did find out if Norman wasn’t told
about the peformance or just forgot where he was
supposed to be.
DAY THREE There weren’t any futuristic costumes this
time and lead singer Adam LaClave lost his faux fur coat
during a recent industry event, but Earthsuit didn’t
disappoint. Like many who have seen this band play,
you can’t exactly pinpoint what you like so much, you
simply know that you do like it. Maybe it’s because their
songs, musical style and performance aren’t like
anything anyone else is doing. Who knows? But one
thing is for sure, this is a band to keep an eye
on—whether you do it wearing Earthsuit 3-D glasses or
not (their Kaleidoscope Superior cover is 3-D).
Out of Eden, playing the main stage Thursday
afternoon, had energy to spare and could give other,
newer Christian acts that are incorporating
choreography a few lessons on how it’s done. The
Kimmey sisters had the crowd on it’s feet with their
Motown medley that included "Respect," "We Are
Family," and a Jackson 5 tune, complete with some
pretty wild Afro wigs.
Unfortunately, we had to miss Mark Schultz and
Fernando Ortega as we had interviews lined up with
The Elms and Earthsuit. Owen and Chris Thomas
promised us they’ll be heading into the studio soon to
record their first full-length Elms disc for Sparrow while
Earthsuit just kept up entertained with stories about their
hometown of New Orleans. And we could still hear
Schultz and Ortega from inside the white catering tent on
Hospitality Island so we had the best of both worlds.
Not many female singers exude the kind of passion that
Lillith Fair veteran Jennifer Knapp does onstage. She
sings her songs like every word has life or death
consequences. It was also great to watch as she
interacted with the other musicians onstage. And while
she won’t be recording again for a while ("this album
hasn’t been out very long!" Knapp reminded us), she
says she’s always writing, if only out of fear that it will be
time to head into the studio and she won’t have any
material. Knapp also wins our award for "classiest
move" by sharing her main stage time with the legendary
Ashley Cleveland (Cleveland had been relegated to
performing on two of the smaller tent stages). Bonus
info: Listen for Knapp on Cleveland’s upcoming fifth
album.
Next was Word Records newcomerRachael Lampa. If
you heard the hype and were skeptical—she’s only 15,
but has a voice that rivals seasoned divas like Mariah
Carey and Celine Dion—don’t be. It’s all true. Of course,
when she stops singing, she struggles with nervousness
and is still learning how to connect with her audience
between songs. A few more appearances on "The
Tonight Show" should cure that.
If you caught their recent "Underdog" tour, you might
have been disappointed that here Audio Adrenaline
didn’t have time for their karaoke set of "Jesus Freak"
and "Baby Baby." But the guys sure know how to
entertain. Lead singer Mark Stuart played the role of the
Pied Piper, getting the crowd to jump, clap or hold him
up over their heads during "Big House." On "We’re A
Band" crowd participation was also key as they
recruited audience members to come on stage and sing
along. Another treat was Jennifer Knapp joining the
band on "It is Well With my Soul" during the encore.
We really wanted to catch another late night show, but it
was so cold (we were wearing almost everything we
packed and still couldn’t get warm) that we headed for
the relative comfort of our hotel. We felt bad for the rest
of the festival crowd, especially those who were "tenting
it," as we cranked up the heat in our comfy room at the
Otter Inn, but not bad enough to lose any sleep.
DAY FOUR
It was sunny and warm as the LaRue
sibs took the stage. Phillip and Natalie
get the morning off to a nice start with
some old favorites and a few tunes
from their upcoming album. They also
remind everyone to add their names to
the LaRue petition, pushing for
abstinence to be taught in schools as
the best and most reliable method of
birth control. Afterward, a portion of the
crowd follows them over to the Exhibit
Tent to sign on the dotted line and
snag an autograph while they’re at it.
Seeing Raze play made us ready for a
nap. Not that they were boring by any
stretch of the imagination, it’s just that
this foursome (plus two dancers) is so
energetic and exciting to watch, you
wonder how they make it through a
whole show without collapsing. Their
lyrics are straightforward and
encouraging, but it’s their stage
presence and unique fashion sense
that really set this act apart.
In a week of continual surprises, another one was on it’s
way with the Supertones’ performance. It was actually
tame compared to some of their other shows and the
fans were surprisingly tranquil too. (Maybe too much
camping had taken its toll?) Dressed in identical orange
outfits, the band showcased songs from their previous
three discs and introduced new tunes that take a few
twists from their trademark ska sound. In fact, some of
the new songs are such a departure that at time we
thought maybe we were listening to Pax 217. They also
win our "most tattoos visible from the main stage" award
which is sure to become a much-coveted honor.
Warming up the crowd for the big finale was Stacie
Orrico, ForeFront’s new 14-year-old, who had no
trouble getting in a groove and showing the crowd what
she can do. Along with her dancers, she got things
moving and then slowed down a bit as she
accompanied herself on the keyboard and her big
brother waited in the wings, mouthing the words to each
song. Her mom told us earlier that day that Stacie’s
career is really a family affair, but this proved it..
In true festival fashion, Michael W. Smith closed things
out in a big way. He dug out a few oldies but goodies
like "Cross of Gold" and Nicole C. Mullen brought down
the house with "Redeemer." And of course Smitty sang
"Friends" and "This is Your Time," a follow up to
speaker Darrell Scott whose daughter Rachel was killed
at Columbine High School. Then the candles were lit and
the crowd became nothing more than thousands of
flickering lights. As we drove away (we had an early
flight to catch and a two-hour drive ahead of us)
everything was still aglow and we had a warm, fuzzy
feeling inside, too. Of course, it could have been all that
festival food.
